IT WAS ALL TOO EASY FOR ME TO ACCEPT BEING MATED TO MORE THAN ONE PERSON. That fact does not change the fact that people would be highly concerned about he nature of our relationships.

Bella clearly had feelings beginning to form for both Edward and myself. If her overly awkward demeanor was only around the two of us, this was obvious. She was finally beginning to be more... open with the people at school. Bella had a place to sit at lunch and joked with them like any other high school student.

With that came the fact that she would be hearing about the way the Cullens just... are. They don't exactly interact that much with the general population of Forks. It would be difficult to given their diet doesn't exactly promote being fully satisfied. Oh well, it was starting to get covered up under the guise that they didn't want to get me sick while I'm undergoing treatments. That bit had sort of gotten out at school since one of the teachers had started wearing a mask around me. Students asked and she said that she didn't want to get any vulnerable students sick.

Turns out Forks has some future detectives in their high school population.

It started out as a rumor, but I'd thankfully told Bella myself to make sure she didn't think I was hiding anything. I'm not hiding that part of my life, after all.

Rumors have a way of sowing doubt in people. Or at least that's what all of the television shows she'd watched told her. They were one of her only comfort. Forks was the perfect small town for that sort of thing, so I tend to base my actions on what I know works and doesn't work. Pissing off a police officer is a surefire way to be exposed.

Having your friend whose father is an officer worried for your safety is another way.

I didn't want her to be under the impression that Edward and I were somehow controlling and toxic. Putting that idea in her head would be near impossible to remove without full exposure and her finally turning and feeling the full force of the bond. Nobody in the family wanted that. We would wait out as long as we could, maybe in college we could be turned and have no issues. That way Bella could be away from her father's watchful eye and her mind could be more developed.

I would have to be turned sooner so a stupid bacterial infection doesn't take me out.

Frankly, I knew that Edward and I needed her. She was the final piece in the puzzle. Once she was in, we could move out of Forks and do whatever we wanted. Go to France like Rosalie wanted or attend a vampire ball like Jasper and Emmett wanted. We could be a part of something other than ourselves. Carlisle could do more of his charity work outside of this tiny town.

Bella was the key to all of it.

"Edward just has a rough past," I tried to explain as Bella stared at me as if she didn't fully believe me. She doesn't. "He worries that he's going to hurt people that he cares about. They're all foster care kids, but Edward... I mean, he's had it rough for a while. Before me he wasn't connecting very well."

All of it was true except for the foster care part. Being a part of a family where you're the only lonely one had to have been really hard. Nothing other than circumstance was bringing them together. That was bound to fall apart at some point.

"Oh," was the only response from her.

It was both refreshing and totally infuriating for her to not believe me on this. Then again, from the short chats we'd had about her home life, her mom was not exactly honest as a person. She'd only gotten the full story of the divorce from her dad, which really made her mad. At both of them, actually. She'd believed that it wasn't her mom that left but rather her father who wouldn't move. She had no idea her dad was caring for his elderly parents and needed to sort out their estate in Forks.

That skepticism of hers and ability to silently know her own feelings on things would be good when it came to the family. We do not need more avoidant brooding like Jasper and Edward.

"It sounds a lot worse than it really is." I tried to laugh to cover up my own awkwardness. "Are you staying the night tonight or is Charlie expecting you home?"

Bella visibly blushed as she admitted, "I wish I could stay, but he wants me home by 11."

The ever careful Charlie wouldn't have his daughter out too late, lest he feel like a bad parent. I guess it makes sense, though I saw so many of the other teenagers able to come back much later with a lot less fuss, especially the ones who were working in the gas stations. This was not a high crime area and, well, the Cullens may be weird but nobody thought anything was actually wrong with the house. Esme was well respected in her archeology career, often talking with locals about the myths and legends of the area.

"How about next week, then?" I suggested. "Carlisle wouldn't have an issue with it, I'm sure. You can even get a ride back in the morning."

"Do you drive yet?" Bella asked suddenly. "I can't drive."

I shook my head. "Emmett is usually the one who drives everyone everywhere. Unless Alice manages to take the car before then. I'm the only one without my license because all of my meds mean I'm not allowed to."

That and that I hate the idea of driving. Something about operating a machine that could malfunction and crash with me in the front scares me. Mom's car broke down multiple times and that just... I can't imagine having to be the one in the driver's seat, hopelessly trying to find a payphone to call AAA. With how many hills there are in Forks another issue would be me just not understanding how they work, crashing and dying. I'd seen the old newspapers in the house that Carlisle and Esme hoard and a few of them mentioned drunk idiots crashing into people at night and a few people losing control of the car and crashing into trees or deer. Not my idea of a good time. The backseat is the safest place in a crash and I refuse to not be there.

"Would he be okay with driving me home? I don't really know him at all."

"Don't worry," I assured, "Emmett likes driving more than everyone and wastes a ton of money taking long drives over the weekend. You'd be shocked how much he spends on gas for his truck."

Ah, yes, the red pickup that Emmett insisted on having. I was not getting into that monstrosity that has no seat belts and bumps him around all the time. Nope, I want to keep my life and legs.

He would take the van, or the Mercedes. Or some other car that Carlisle stashed behind the house.

How many cars do they even own at this point?

How much were they paying every month on them? Did they buy them outright? How much money did Carlisle and Esme even make? I am thinking way too much into this they probably have insane investments in every famous company ever and have their lives figured out for the next five hundred years.

"Okay," was what Bella said in agreement.

Thank goodness.

---

NOW, WHAT I'D SAID WASN'T EXACTLY TRUE. Carlisle would be a bit worried about a sleepover considering Edward staying out of the house would be more than a bit suspicious.

"How about Edward and Jasper go hunting together next weekend?" I suggested to Carlisle during my next treatment.

"Is Bella coming over all next weekend?" Carlisle let out a short laugh before saying, "Oh, you're serious."

"Obviously, Carlisle," I said while playfully rolling my eyes. "She wants to come over and sleep over. Things are going great between us so far, may as well submit myself as being her best friend, sleepover and all. I'd rather she become more integrated with us rather than the grater Forks community."

Charlie seems like a nice guy, but he was already weary of the Cullens because of the friends he has on the reservation. Jacob was probably unhappy with Edward for being with me, that's probably been spread around. Hell, I don't know why he expected me to choose or take his side. I can understand needing time or not wanting it to be romantic, but to cut me off? That's rough. Maybe that one just wasn't meant to be, or was one-sided? I don't feel that bad about it anymore, so was he really my mate?

Questions for another time.

Forks is an odd but tight knit community and the only reason why we haven't been caught is because, well, the Cullens are normal enough that there's a small acceptance of them.

"How fast do you think this will happen?" Carlisle asked while he ran his fingers through my hair. "After 3 months, I am obligated to tell the Volturi about your plans with Bella. Since you're both human we could be getting a visit from one of them."

Right, the government.

"I am perfectly fine with a visit, but if they come here they're going to notice the wolves," I mentioned, "Why have you kept that a secret for so long?"

"The tribe doesn't want the Volturi in their business," he admitted, "and I don't think Caius will react well when he finds out."

"He's the one who hates Children of the Moon, right?" He nodded. Probably knowing that he would hate the tribe of Shifters who had already killed vampires (no matter how justified) Carlisle didn't want to tell them. "Do you want me there when you break the news, or just Esme?"

"If you can handle the Shifters and Jacob, Esme and I can talk to Aro. He's the reasonable one, especially if he brings one of his wives."

"Three months, right?"

"I'm sure you'll be able to do this, Fennie, just do what you do best."